The Amazon, which holds one-fifth of the world’s freshwater, is starting its dry season with rivers at critically low levels, prompting urgent contingency plans.
The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) reported that 2024 is seeing one of the most severe droughts in recent years, particularly impacting Bolivia, Peru, and Brazil.
Water levels in the southwestern Amazon are at record lows for this time of year, with Brazil’s federal water agency and Acre state already declaring emergencies.
The drought has intensified earlier than in 2023, which saw its worst drought on record. This year, water shortages are affecting navigation, potentially halting hydroelectric plants, and escalating food prices due to disrupted markets.
Additionally, fires are a growing concern, with nearly 25,000 reported so far in 2024, the highest for this period in nearly two decades.
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